Obama on Syria chemical weapon use: First gather facts

President Barack Obama, speaking about the ongoing revolt in Syria and the allegations that the government has used chemical weapons, said the U.S. will gather facts before acting.

Obama and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had previously said that the use of chemical weapons was a "red line" on Syria, saying the U.S. would respond and side with rebels against the government.

Today, Obama called the use of chemical weapons a "game-changer" if the allegations turn out to be true. U.S. intelligence and the government of Israel have claimed — on the U.S. side, with "varying degrees of confidence," the White House says — that the government has used chemical weapons against its people.